Voyageur's Best Generally Speaking Columns of 2003

League had a 2 week hia-tus over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The time off was good for Bev Williams of the Joriman Electric team. When play resumed on Jan. 8, she lit up the scoreboard with games of 202 - 227 - 215 for a 644 series. That is believed to be a new house record for highest series ever thrown by a woman. She, of course, takes over high woman’s series for the year, but Sally Phillips’ 245 still leads the way for high woman’s game. On the men’s side, Denny Farrah tossed a nice 244 game and 628 series. That is his first 600 since the Reagan administration.

The first batch of bowlers went down to the big tournament in Alexandria. The conditions were more playable than they have been in the past, but finding a consistent line was a challenge. Anybody who did start to string strikes together could not maintain it for long. Solid taps, along with pins sliding across the deck (instead of falling over), were the biggest culprits. Suffice it to say, nobody had a big ball, which was good news to only one bowler. A few singles and doubles were able to get into the money but, overall, a disappointing weekend.

A correction from the last article: the Jan. 5 meeting of the Central Six Traveling League was held in McGregor, not Aitkin. The local bowlers struggled a little bit with the conditions but still managed to strengthen their hold on 1st place. In the first shift they matched up against 2nd place Aitkin #1. Aitkin won the first game by less than 10 pins, but it was all McGregor the rest of the way. The final score was McGregor 20 - Aitkin #1, 10. In the second shift, McGregor easily handled Isle by a score of 27 - 3. The Pine River team put on a strong showing, winning 54 of a possible 60 points. McGregor leads the league with 175.5 points, with Pine River moving into second at 159.5 points.

Many McGregor youth bowlers took part in the State qualifying tournament, recently held at the Community Bowl in Pine River. Seven of them bowled well enough to advance into the Minnesota State tournament. Robert Kramer (673), Breina Tunkanen (651), Kurtis Larson (647), Stephanie Williams (647), Cassidy Wencl (755), Chris Novotny (718), and David Pepera (712) all advanced to the state tournament. Cassidy Wencl had the biggest day, throwing an actual 600 and winning his division. At the Minnesota State Tournament, held at Saxon Lanes in Little Canada, the competition was much stronger. None of the McGregor bowlers scored high enough to win a scholastic scholarship. Coming closest was David Pepera, who finished in 10th place in the 126-145 division, with a 683. Also in the 126-145 division was Cassidy Wencl (29th with a 637) and Chris Novotny (36th with a 625). In the 86-105 division, Breina Tunkanen finished 24th with a 664. In the 106-125 division Stephanie Williams finished 30th with a 655, and Kurt Larson finished 49th with a 621.

Our sympathy goes out to the family of Howie Graham. He bowled mixed doubles leagues for many years and, in 1979, teamed up with Loren Erpelding to win the Doubles Championship in the McGregor Mens Bowling Assoc. Tournament. He will be sorely missed. We also wish a speedy recovery to Randy Lindborg. Hip replacement surgery has cut short his season, but we hope to see him next year, bowling better than ever.

The McGregor’s Mens Bowling Assoc. Tournament starts Jan. 25, and runs for 2-1/2 weeks. It is open to men and women bowlers and sign up sheets are on the counter at McGregor Lanes.

Another group of bowlers will soon try their luck at Alexandria; the Fargo and St. Cloud tournaments are also upcoming, and maybe the state tournament as well. Also, the No-Tap season will be getting under way soon. All this and more in the next article.

Until next time, Happy Bowling.

This article first appeared in the January 21, 2003 issue of the Voyageur Press.